How to make healthier pasta for kids | Recipe for 6 ingredient broccoli pasta

Easy tips to make healthier pasta for kids + Recipe for 6 ingredient broccoli pasta with cheese sauce

Most kids I know (including mine) seem to love pasta. I often wonder why. Is it because they see it as something exotic, as compared to the daily Indian meals of roti-sabzi or dal-rice? Is it the peer pressure or the mental images portrayed by advertisements? Or do they possibly they see it as a dish in which they can escape the drudgery of eating their vegetables. Is it the lure of the cheese that kids find difficult to resist?

Do you have a pasta loving family? Make sure you have a few bottles of this Marinara sauce in your refrigerator.

Whatever the reason, if kids are going ga-ga over pasta, then we parents have a job on our hands – to make the pasta a vehicle for healthier ingredients and nutrients. It is not difficult at all, because pasta pretty much pairs well with any ingredient. Vegetables, eggs, beans, cheese, nuts, herbs – just about anything can go into a pasta sauce, without seeming out of place. 

Also check out: Grilled corn salad with orzo pasta

Here I have come up with a few tricks that will help you make a pot of healthier pasta for kids.

To make healthier pasta for kids – get these tricks up your sleeve

It is ok to use regular durum wheat pasta. Fortify it with the following ingredients.

1. VEGETABLES –  Finely grated carrots, zucchini, pumpkin, bell peppers can all go into the basic tomato sauce prepared for pasta. Rich flavour of ripe tomatoes combined with tomato paste or puree can take in all these vegetables without putting off kids who dislike vegetables.
2. PROTEIN –  Using milk and grated cheese to make a ‘white sauce’ adds to the protein content of the dish. You can also add finely grated paneer or tofu to further enhance the protein in the pasta. Ottolenghi’s famous yogurt based pasta sauce is another winner in the protein department. You can also mash cooked chickpeas or navy beans and add to a tomato sauce to give it more heft.  
3. HEALTHY FATS – Pesto makes the best vehicle for nuts, especially for kids like mine who hate nuts of any kind. I make this 1 minute peas pesto by pulsing together frozen peas, fresh mint or basil (whatever I have on hand), toasted walnuts and or almonds, along with a clove of garlic and extra virgin olive oil. That’s a good dose of healthy fats in a one minute pasta sauce. If you have a ripe avocado, add the flesh to the pesto and pulse to get a delicious sauce. Check out my 2 minute sauce with just 2 ingredients. 

Here is a recipe for one such healthy pasta dish, that the whole family can enjoy for dinner. Pasta, steamed vegetables and sauce – hearty and delicious!

Equipment required:

• Saucepans to cook pasta and to make sauce
• Steamer

Pasta with Broccoli and cheese sauce

Healthier pasta for kids that they will love - An easy 6-ingredient pasta dinner with broccoli and cheese sauce.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 2 kids

Course: main

Cuisine: global vegetarian, Italian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 cup short pasta like penne or spirelli
• salt
• 200 grams broccoli florets ~1 cup
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 2 teaspoons whole wheat flour
• 1.5 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons grated cheese processed or Mozzarella
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest optional

for garnish:

• fresh basil
• cherry tomatoes
• dried herbs

Method

 

1. To make this easy kid-friendly pasta dish, start by cooking the pasta. Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Season with a teaspoon of salt. Add pasta to boiling water and cook for 7-8 minutes until al dente or as per pack instructions. Drain and keep aside.
2. While the pasta is cooking, place the broccoli florets in a steamer basket or in a bowl with 1/4 cup water in the microwave. Steaming time will be 6-8 minutes depending on size of florets / Microwave for 4 minutes or so depending on size of florets.
3. In a medium saucepan, heat the butter and fry the flour in the melted butter for 3-4 minutes on a medium flame. Add milk to this with constant stirring. Season with salt and pepper and continue to stir until sauce thickens and no big lumps of flour remain. Stir in the grated cheese until it melts into the sauce. At this point, you can add further flavour to the sauce by adding some lemon zest.
4. All three components for the kid-friendly pasta with broccoli are ready.
5. Take 2 pasta dishes. Divide pasta between the two dishes.
6. Divide steamed broccoli florets between the plates, placing them over the pasta.
7. Top with cheese sauce.
8. Use any or all of the garnishes to add more colour and flavour to the dish.
9. Serve hot.

Notes

If you are not a fan of the white sauce (bechamel sauce), prepare a big batch of Marinara sauce (tomato sauce for pasta) and ladle it over the pasta and broccoli.